Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved-Chapter 511: Favoured Concubine Destroys Wife?

Wang Yingluo returned to Cining Palace, and the eunuchs and palace maids all shrank back into their shells.

There wasn’t much movement around the main hall.

After the Imperial Physician came to examine the wounds on her face, the Empress Dowager did not send anyone to inquire about her condition, darkening Wang Yingluo’s expression slightly.

Fortunately, she had already discovered the Empress’s secret.

She needed not resort to poisoning; she could tarnish the Empress’s reputation, turn her into a laughingstock, and ultimately make her a deposed Empress.

At this thought, she let out a delighted laugh.

The Imperial Physician had left, and her face was smeared with ointment, but it still hurt whenever she made a large expression.

Her skin was tender and delicate, and it had been a long time since someone had hit her like that vile maid did.

She dismissed Fu Rong, leaving only Eunuch Li behind.

"Do you know why I suddenly changed my mind?" she asked.

Eunuch Li lowered his head, "This servant is dull-witted, but Miss must have a better method for the Empress to fall from grace."

"Exactly, it is indeed a better method."

Since she had hypnotized Eunuch Li and knew his secrets, she trusted him enough.

She said, "I saw a hickey on the Empress’s collarbone."

"What?"

Wang Yingluo saw the desired look of shock on Eunuch Li’s aged face.

She said with a smirk, "Eunuch, who do you think left that hickey?"

Eunuch Li hastily replied, "It definitely wasn’t Your Majesty! His Majesty did not spend the night in the Empress’s palace!"

"That’s right, he wouldn’t touch her at all," Wang Yingluo confidently stated.

Jun Yuyan was a man with a cleanliness complex regarding emotions; if he had already decided on someone in his heart, it would not be possible for him to touch Murong Jiu.

Not deposing Murong Jiu was merely due to a sense of guilt, feeling that Murong Jiu had the hardship of childbearing.

Besides, if Jun Yuyan really couldn’t control himself and touched Murong Jiu, with the superior attitude Murong Jiu had earlier, would she not intentionally expose the hickey?

She’d probably have torn open her neckline, making it widely known, just to show everyone she was once again favored—could she really be this low-key?

"Didn’t Miao Wuxie go to Kunning Palace for half an hour this morning?"

Eunuch Li’s eyes widened as he quickly followed up, "Yes, Miao the Divine Healer is indeed special to Her Majesty the Empress. Presumably, Her Majesty felt aggrieved, and Miao the Divine Healer wanted to comfort her, and in comforting, perhaps things got out of control. Miss, it seems Heaven is assisting you! You are truly Heaven’s Chosen Maiden, even Heaven does not wish for you to sully your hands!"

Wang Yingluo loved hearing these words.

Indeed, she was Heaven’s Chosen Maiden.

Heaven would help her remove her obstacles without her needing to take direct action; Murong Jiu had carelessly left herself vulnerable.

"I heard that Miao the Divine Healer has taken up residence at the Imperial Medical Bureau and will treat the Empress daily. Miss, if we can manage to draw the Empress Dowager over there, you need do nothing, and the Empress will fall from grace all on her own!" Eunuch Li said, somewhat excitedly.

"Therefore, keep a close watch for me, and if we can catch them in the act, whatever you wish for, I will surely fulfill," Wang Yingluo said to him, her words tinged with seduction.

"You want to take down that heartless man from the Lin family, and this young lady can help you with that. Eunuch Li, you might as well dare to dream a bit bigger, there’s no rule under heaven that says eunuchs can’t marry. You can proudly take Madam Lin as your wife, allowing your descendants to change their surname from Zhen to Li and acknowledge their ancestry, enjoying the pleasures of family with your grandchildren in your arms."

These words sent Eunuch Li into raptures.

It was something he didn’t even dare to dream of.

Originally, he thought having descendants was lucky enough since he was just an old eunuch.

His greatest hope had only been to free Madam Lin from her misery or to intimidate Lord Zhen into dissolving his concubines, never having imagined that one day his children could rightfully call him father and acknowledge their ancestry with him.

Excitement flushed Eunuch Li’s well-maintained face, his voice becoming shrill with emotion.

"This servant thanks the young lady, this servant is grateful and is willing to serve you as an ox or horse for the rest of my life!"

"Stop kneeling, get up. Rest assured, what this young lady has promised you, will be done once it’s accomplished."

In Wang Yingluo’s view, it was just a small favor.

She could manage it with just a few words.

Kunning Palace.

Zhou Li returned from outside the palace to report to Murong Jiu.

"Your Majesty, I have thoroughly investigated. It’s true that Lady Zhen, Madam Lin, and Eunuch Li once had an oral marriage agreement. They were neighbours from the same village, and the Li family ran a small eatery in town. They were considered decently wealthy and well-respected in the village. But then, after several people died from eating at the eatery, the Li family went bankrupt overnight, the parents fell ill and never recovered, and Eunuch Li’s elder brother sold him into the palace to raise money."

Listening to this, Eunuch Li seemed to have had a hard life.

"Isn’t Eunuch Li without kin? What happened to his elder brother’s family?"

Murong Jiu asked.

Zhou Li replied, "Not long after Eunuch Li entered the palace, a fire broke out at his home at night, killing his parents, his elder brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews—a total of six family members."

She frowned slightly.

"Not a single one escaped?"

Fires spread slowly; it seemed unlikely that there were no survivors.

"The matter is indeed suspicious, but it’s been decades, and it’s difficult to discover anything. However, my investigation found that the breakdown of Madam Lin’s relationship with Zhen Huailin wasn’t entirely caused by a concubine; it seems that Madam Lin had an affair with someone else."

"Hmm?"

Murong Jiu looked at Zhou Li in surprise.

Could it be that Madam Lin was not the virtuous and loyal person she seemed, nor entirely a victim of circumstances, but her own problems were the reason Zhen Huailin grew to despise her?

Zhou Li said, "I found some old servants from the Zhen Residence who all spoke disdainfully of Madam Lin, calling her extremely hypocritical and having an ambiguous relationship with a distant cousin. However, that cousin died of an illness a few years ago, so whether the accusations are true or false, it’s difficult to verify."

Madam Lin was already fifty years old. Even if she had the intention, she no longer had the means, and maybe that was why she had been so restrained these past years.

"So it seems that it is uncertain whether Madam Lin’s eldest son is indeed Eunuch Li’s flesh and blood, right?"

"Yes, before Zhen Huailin came to the Capital City to take up his post, his career was steadily advancing, bringing him closer to the Capital. If Madam Lin had truly intended to, she could have sent a message long ago since Eunuch Li had been serving the late emperor for a long time."

"So her sudden approach to Eunuch Li, did something happen before that?"

"I found out that at that time, Lord Zhen’s concubines’ sons were both seriously ill. Speaking of which, they were saved by Divine Doctor Zhai; otherwise, they’d probably be dead by now."

It was fortunate that Zhen Huailin had arrived in the Capital City and promptly sought treatment from the Civil Medical Bureau. Diseases that other physicians couldn’t cure, Divine Doctor Zhai could.

"Afterward, Zhen Huailin started mentioning divorce, which is likely related to Madam Lin. She didn’t get divorced because she preemptively spread the word about Zhen Huailin favoring concubines over his wife. Zhen Huailin, whose position in the Capital City was unsteady, valued his reputation highly. Knowing she couldn’t delay for long, Madam Lin turned to Eunuch Li instead."

And for this reason, Eunuch Li did not hesitate to offend the current Empress, seeking support from Wang Yingluo.